M. Hockey's Fourth Line Spurs Outburst

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—Those searching in vain for parking spots amidst the snow outside Messa Rink during last night’s opening faceoff shouldn’t have bothered setting foot outside their cars.

By the time they had finally reached the arena, the game was already over.

Harvard’s offense, which has emphasized establishing a strong presence during its early shifts since returning from its 19-day exam layoff, struck three times on just four shots in the first 5:04 of the opening period, chasing Union’s goaltender Justin Mrazek from between the pipes en route to its 8-1 victory.

“We’ve really tried to concentrate on our starts coming out of the gate after exams,” Crimson coach Ted Donato ’91 said. “Obviously it’s easier said than done, but I think our guys did a good job of keeping it simple early, and we made a couple of really nice plays.”

No. 10 Harvard’s fourth line, particularly effective in the last five days, was again the catalyst for the Crimson’s breakout, chipping in a pair of even-strength goals during the game-breaking span. Though the unit was without its most prolific member—junior Dan Murphy, who did not travel in order to nurse an unspecified shoulder injury—his replacement, freshman Dave Watters, and mainstays Rob Flynn and Tyler Magura more than compensated for his absence.

Flynn, who had yet to score this season prior to Harvard’s 7-0 win over Princeton on Friday, notched both the triumvirate’s tallies from the right faceoff circle, thanks to a pair of deft touches from his rookie linemates.

“It’s a little bit of [hard work paying off], and a little bit of just trying to shoot the puck every time I get it as much as I can,” Flynn said. “The Princeton game I ended up with a breakaway, so that was a different story...But I think that all I have been focusing on has been paying off.”

Though he didn’t do so intentionally on his first tally of the night, potted 3:22 into the game courtesy of an assist from Magura, Flynn exposed the vulnerable top right corner of Mrazek’s cage—the eventual destination of each of the Crimson’s three early scores.

Just 1:42 later—and a few feet closer—Flynn corralled Watters’ off-the-boards pass several strides closer to the crease, then wristed his shot along precisely the same path as before, securing the first two-goal game of his career and sending Mrazek to the bench.

“Actually, I just tried to get my [shots] off as quickly as possible,” Flynn sheepishly admitted. “I think they were actually trying to tell us to shoot low and get rebounds.”

Though coming from an unlikely source, such an offensive outburst had been brewing since Harvard’s romp over the Tigers, Watters’ first appearance alongside Flynn and Magura.

Apparently energized by the shakeup, the unheralded bruisers have combined for 12 points—highlighted by Watters’ five—in just three games, spearheading the Crimson’s 20-goal extended weekend.

Watters, for his part, has made the most of his limited playing time, earning seven points in his 10 appearances.

“They scored two goals up at Princeton, [and] they got another huge goal for us—the only even-strength goal that we got—against Yale,” Donato said. “It’s nice to see. Those guys work real hard, and sometimes it can be a thankless job playing on the fourth line and having to carry a big physical load for us.”

—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.